How to save a pirate
by Arathelightningqueen
Summary: In an attempt to save a boy from a pirate ship, Hiccup is struck by a cannonball and left injured and bedridden. The pirate boy is invited to stay in the village and Snotlout is sick of being treated like he's dumb and befriends the boy, but no one trusts him. Snotlout is out to prove his innocence and save Hiccup with the twins help.
1. Prologue

Authors note:

Hi everyone, this is my actual first fanfiction. I am new here and not a very fast writer, but I love httyd and I love writing.

Don't get any major ideas from this prologue, it's just... Not very long or anything, the story gets better though.

I would really really love it if you reviewed, favourited or followed :) seriously.

Also, I'm only gonna say this once: I do not own httyd obviously, I only own my oc's.

And please tell me if I'm doing anything wrong.

Thanks for reading, bye.

PROLOGUE:

'Yet another perfectly fine training exercise ruined!' Snotlout thinks to himself as he watches Barf barf up a heap of gas right in the twins faces only to have Belch light it of course.

Every time! Every time, he gets stuck with Ruffnut and Tuffnut and he's so sick of it! Who does Hiccup think he is anyway, sticking him with these clowns all the time? Are they like the lower class dragon riders or something?

This thought almost makes Snotlout punch the head of the dragon he's riding. (He's rather glad he refrained from doing that.)

Snotlout would never admit it, but he is a little hurt by this. Sometimes he wishes he had a best friend within the group. A person friend. Hookfang is good, but still... Snotlout unconsciously cocks his head to the side.

Of course he appreciates having all these friends but the fact that he always gets put with the twins is just... Ugh.

He doesn't get along with Hiccup so well, or Astrid, or Fishlegs...

Snotlout sighs and looks back over to the twins who are both laughing and looking a little blackened. In the distance he can see the cliff on which the gang were supposed to meet up, and Hiccup and Toothless, Astrid and Stormfly, Fishlegs and Meatlug were already waiting for them.

"Alright Hookfang, let's go and see what crazy exercise Hiccup's got planned for us now."


	2. Chapter 1

Authors note:

How to fight a dragons fury is out! (I also love the books.)

I'm not sure if this needs more editing, I've only done it about two hundred times. I did do HEAPS of historical research for this but it won't all be completely accurate, just saying.

I also want to dedicate this story to my mum because she was the first one to like it. :)

(Btw, you guys don't have to read all my authors notes. They're just here.)

CHAPTER 1:

"Okay gang! Are you ready?" Hiccup asks.

"Yes Hiccup." Everyone sighs.

The dragon riders are all sitting on their dragons on the cliffs edge.

"Good."

"Hey, I have a question."

Hiccup sighs. "What is it now Snotlout?"

"What is so good about flying nonstop for however many hours you just said, the long way to an island full of angry dragons?!"

"For the last time, it's an endurance test, and it's going to show how much good all our training has done. I don't know how long it will take, our last recorded time was four and a half hours. Maybe when be beat our previous record, then you will finally see that our work has not been for nothing."

"Oh yeah, good luck with that." Snotlout snorts.

Astrid fixes him with an icy glare.

"No, Hiccup's right Snotlout, as much as Meatlug and I don't want to do this, it's necessary."

"Thank you Fishlegs." Hiccup says for perhaps the first time, without sarcasm.

"Fine, whatever, but don't expect us to show up tomorrow, because Hookfang and I are taking the day off." Snotlout takes off ahead of them.

"Wait, did he just say; day off?" Tuffnut pipes up. "I want a day off!"

"Yeah me too! What are we going to do with our day off?" Ruffnut asks.

"I say we go yak tipping, that's always fun." Tuffnut replies.

"Hey guys, in case you haven't noticed, we're leaving." Astrid notifies the twins before taking off after Snotlout. The others follow.

"But I thought we were having a day off!" Ruffnut calls after them.

The gang keep on flying.

"Okay fine, we're coming! Come on Belch! Let's goooo!" Tuffnut points out to sea and they take off.

...

The dragon riders are about ten minutes into the journey, well out at sea. Tuffnut has spotted a ship in the distance and they are flying down to have a look.

"What kind of ship is that?" Fishlegs questions.

"Okay, that is just not a Viking ship at all." Hiccup states.

"I like the flag!" Says Tuffnut.

"It's a pirate ship." Ruffnut tells them.

"Really?" Asks Astrid. "I've heard stories about pirates, my grandfather told me that they chase ships down and fire at them with cannons until they splinter. He also mentioned that they capture the survivors, and some are forced to walk off of a plank and into the sea! They apparently love treasure so much that they bury it for fear of losing it, the cowards."

Fishlegs turns white. "Ahh... Do you think maybe we should leave now? Because I really don't want to learn what it's like on a pirate ship today."

"Okay, maybe we should go back and tell my dad. There have never been pirates this close to Berk before." Hiccup says, his face scrunched up in confusion and worry.

"Oh thank Thor." Fishlegs can't help but sigh in relief.

"But I want the flag!" Tuffnut complains.

"Wait, what are they doing?" Astrid is squinting against the glare of sun through clouds, trying to see who on the ship is yelling.

The others turn to look, and having stopped talking, can hear the yelling too.

Atop their dragons, still in the air, they all watch in horror as a young boy dressed in rags and chained up, is literally dragged out of the hold, the assumed captain still yelling. A beefy man with a red bandana produces what looks like a rope, split nine ways, and knotted at some ends, fishing hooks and blades attached to others. The boy lifts his head up to look but instantly regrets it as a number of ropes, hooks and blades slice through his face, the hooks getting stuck in his pale skin and tearing it open into deep blood filled wounds that they are sure will never properly heal.

"Whoa, that's gotta hurt." Snotlout winces.

Fishlegs looks like he is about to throw up.

The boy turns his face away and screams out in pain as the rope comes down on his back over and over again.

The dragons and their riders hover in the air keeping their distance, not knowing what they should do. Hiccup can only stare in shock with his mouth hanging wide open.

"The Cat O Nine Tails..." Astrid gasps.

"The what?!" Hiccup asks.

"The Cat O Nine Tails." Astrid repeats. "I've heard of this too, it's a punishment. I wonder what he's done..."

"What he's done? What the? That doesn't matter now! We have to do something!"

"No Hiccup wait."

"Wait?!"

"You can't go down th-" Astrid is cut off by a final yelp and a loud splash.

No one sees it but it doesn't take a genius to guess what, or rather, who had been thrown overboard.

That is it. That was all Hiccup and Toothless needed to hear. There is nothing anyone can possibly say to change either of their minds. But that doesn't stop Astrid from trying.

"No Hiccup!" She shouts in her high pitched worried voice.

Hiccup knows the boy won't survive long - he is chained up beyond movement and would never be able to swim.

As Toothless rushes through the air down towards the spot in the water where ripples are still giving the boys location away, a voice makes itself heard: "Dragon attack!" The men on the ship start rushing around in all directions, and a bunch of hatches on the side of the ship are opened up to reveal their cannons.

"Oh no." Astrid breathes.

The dragon riders can hear many different voices shouting things on the ship, but there is one voice that is much louder and more commanding than the others, shouting what can only be described as the last thing anyone wanted to hear, it is the captains voice: "And... FIRE!" He lifts his sword up into the air like a signal. The cannons go off all at once, and it hardly takes any time at all for them to reload in comparison to the usual catapults they're used to.

The dragons frantically dodge the rocks as they fly through the air. In fact, they don't seem much like rocks... They're too round and black and... Astrid's thoughts are interrupted as Stormfly dodges yet another... She doesn't know.

Most of the cannonballs are directed towards Hiccup and Toothless, and its a good thing that Toothless is so incredibly swift and speedy or he would've been hit by now.

Despite everything, neither of them take their eyes off of the spot where the boy had just resurfaced WAIT. The boy had just resurfaced. Oh good. That means he will be able to hold out a little longer. The pirates must have taken the chains off of him while they weren't looking.

Toothless and Hiccup decide it would be very wise to fall back, so Toothless turns around, and Hiccup announces his idea for all to hear. "FALL BACK!"

The dragon riders are all about to obey, when they spot something. ALL of them. They see a cannon, reloaded and aimed directly at Hiccup and they see it firing. EVERYONE sees this. It's going to hit him in the back. The captain sees it, the firer of the cannon sees it, Astrid sees it and even the boy in the water sees it.

And Hiccup sees it, when he turns around to look after he hears his teammates desperate calls. But Toothless doesn't see it, as he is flying.

Ok they were wrong. It doesn't hit him in the back, it hits him full in the chest, and knocks him off of Toothless' back. Hiccup gasps painfully and pitifully as the gigantic iron ball collides with his chest, causing his ribs to crack under his skin.

Toothless shrieks as he and his rider plummet down towards the ocean, breaking its surface as he lands and sending water up into the air all over the place.

"NO!" Astrid cries.

Fishlegs is speechless.

Another cannonball flies at the gang and they quickly dodge. Snotlout looks at the twins.

"You're thinking what I'm thinking right?"

"Yeah why?" Tuffnut answers Snotlout with a question.

"Well then, what are you muttonheads waiting for? Let's go!"

"I couldn't be happier doing anything else." Ruffnut smirks, as she and her brother direct their dragon down to the ship, following Snotlout's lead, and with the tug of three pairs of horns, the ship is transformed into flames.

"Revenge!" Tuffnut cries, flying belch out to the side so that he can snatch the flag of the mast.

That is the one thing that Snotlout and the twins have in common; they live to be destructive.

Astrid and Fishlegs are desperately searching the water for Hiccup, or even at least just a sign of him! Unfortunately, this proves almost impossible as they are engulfed in smoke and even a few flames since Snotlout and the twins had not settled for simply burning the ship, but broken it up into flaming pieces as well.

'Is he okay?' Astrid wonders. 'If he is unconscious he won't be able to swim! Gods, she sure hopes he had been able to stay conscious. Where is Toothless?' This is too many unanswered questions for Astrid's liking. She can only search.

"Fishlegs! Any sign of him?" She calls out.

"No. Astrid as much as you don't want to hear this, we can't keep searching. It's too dangerous-"

"You think this is dangerous for US?" Astrid cuts him off angrily.

"And even if it wasn't," Fishlegs continues. "We can't see a thing through the smoke! The best thing we can do is to do what Hiccup said and fall back."

"...and search from high up, of course!" Astrid exclaims. "That way if he's drifted away from the ship, we'll be able to spot him. You go, and I'll keep on searching down here."

"But that's not what I–

"Go!" Astrid shouts, pointing into the air.

Fishlegs and Meatlug are still in the air for a minute, but Astrid's glare is more intimidating than ever, and Fishlegs says nothing, deciding instead on obeying.

"Hey Astrid! Over here, come quick!" Astrid recognises Snotlout's voice above all the other sounds, and hastily follows.

"Over there look! Hiccup's drifting away!" Snotlout points at a distant speck in the ocean.

"What the?" Astrid had believed Fishlegs' theory possible, but there was no way someone could drift that far in so little time.

"What?" Snotlout interrupts her thoughts.

"Oh n- w- just- come on. Fishlegs! Ruff! Tuff!"

Ruffnut and Tuffnut catch up easily on Barf and Belch, but Fishlegs and Meatlug lag behind for a while.

When everyone but Fishlegs and Meatlug reach Hiccup, they are shocked to see that it is not even him, it's the boy he had been trying to save, swimming away into the open sea, most probably trying to find land.

At least it explains how he'd got so far... But Astrid couldn't care less. "Wh- But- No!" She splutters. "Where's Hiccup?"

"Uh right there, duh..." Tuffnut says simply.

"No we're looking for Hiccup!" Snotlout raises his voice on Hiccups name, almost loud enough that the boy still far below them could've heard.

"Yeah exactly what we said: He's. Right. There." Ruffnut repeats, making it seem as if THEY were the dumb ones.

Astrid is furious out of worry, but looks again anyway, and gasps. It IS the pirate boy, with another boy slung over his shoulder. How had they missed that?

"It IS Hiccup! Quick lets go and help!" Astrid swoops down on her squawking Nadder towards the two boys.

Snotlout stays behind to stare at the twins who also hadn't moved. "I don't get it. Why do YOU TWO always seem to see whatever we miss?"

"Um duh, because we're totally better than you, or at least, I am." Tuffnut giggles at the last bit, while Ruffnut glares at him.

"Hey, I could really use some help down here!" They all fly down to see what Astrid wants.

"Snotlout, help that boy there." Astrid points.

"Ugh fine." Snotlout lands Hookfang in the water next to the rather confused boy who had just finished helping get the unconscious Hiccup up onto Stormfly's back. "Climb on."

The boy hasn't a clue what's going on, but he doesn't hesitate to follow the strangers instructions. The back of the dragon is warm, and his wet clothes start to steam when he sits down. He would soon be almost completely dry.

The dragons rise higher above the water and almost crash into Meatlug as she speeds (that is Gronkle version of speeds) towards them.

"Oh you found him, thank Thor. Is he okay?" Fishlegs asks after Meatlug had recovered from the near crash.

"I don't know. He only came close enough to consciousness to mutter Toothless' name." Astrid replies. "We have to get him home."

"Oh no, Toothless! We forgot all about him!" Fishlegs realises.

As if on cue, the gang hear a dragons yell ringing out.

The gang all fly towards the sound until they spot the dragon sitting on a piece of the ship that had not caught fire and roaring for his rider.

"Oh great, how are we gonna get HIM back home?" Tuffnut asks.

Hiccup wakes up slightly upon hearing Toothless' cries. "Astrid where's Toothless?" He mutters. "Is he okay?"

"Don't worry he's right here, but we need to get back to Berk, do you think you can fly him home?"

Hiccup didn't answer. He had a terrible pain in his chest. It was killing him. He could feel it tearing and pulling and ripping inside him. He fell back unconscious from the pain.


	3. Chapter 2

Chapter 2:

A young boy named Josh, of about fifteen years old, with flaming red hair and an Irish accent, is lying in the hold of the pirate ship that had homed him for six years, chained up beyond movement.

Despite the conditions, he is extremely grateful to be able to rest.

He had been told he is here as a punishment for dropping six bottles of ale. It was true he had, but he knows the real reason is not that one mistake – they were not a rich pirate ship, in fact they were very poor right now. Back in the day, they had always had enough food, they had more men, they were set, but recently the money had become scarce, and they had sold, or thrown many men overboard. Josh was useful and hardworking, that's why he had been kept on board this long but conditions were getting worse. Josh became less of a necessity and more of a nuisance. They had fed him less and less until he was too weak to carry those bottles of ale after a day of work. That's when they had decided it was time.

He knows what is coming and he awaits his fate in silent acceptance, only shedding tears for the knowledge that he will never get to meet his sister. He will never get to see his mother again. He will never be with his father again.

He silently prays for the last time, he prays to God that his father got away and was reunited with his mother, and that his mother had survived and been able to take good care of his sister, and that his sister would not be lonely as he had been. He also prays that his family would not be sad for him, that they could be happy and meet again in heaven.

He lays here for a day and a night and another half of a day before the hatch opens up.

The man who opened the hatch is big and muscly and wears a red bandana, and if Josh could be bothered to open his eyes, he would identify him as Binetuc.

Binetuc ignores the fact that Josh is lying so still because he knows that Josh, despite himself, wouldn't let himself die before his execution, and grabs the chain to drag him out of the hold and onto the deck.

Binetuc shoves Josh in front of the captain, and goes off to get something...

"So swabbie, has it really come to this?" The captain asks down at Josh. After six years of working on the ship, no one had asked for his name.

"After serving us well for so long, you just had to go and make a fatal mistake."

"I know it's not the ale you're worried about captain." Josh spits out, his voice sounding like poison to the ear. "You're broke, and getting rid of everyone is your best solution. You were waiting for me to slip up."

The captain laughs. "I know. You always were a feisty one boy. You have no idea how long I have wanted to do this. Ye be the rudest, most useful, insulting, hardworking swabbie I ever had. You've been rewarded, and now it's time to be punished."

A crowd had already gathered, awaiting the next flogging.

Josh looks up at the captain, intending to answer but Binetuc had come back with what he'd left for: the red sack from which he produces The Cat O Nine Tails.

"Flog im." Says the captain.

Binetuc raises the cruel whip above his head and brings it down on Josh's face. He quickly turns his head away but Josh can't hold back his screams as it comes back down on his back six times until someone kicks him over so that they can do his chest as well.

'At least it will be over soon.' Josh thinks through the sound of shouting as silent unwelcome tears run down his cheeks. 'Soon they'll get sick of torturing me, and they'll throw me into the sea.'

"Take his chains off!" The captain shouts. "He won't be able to swim anyway."

The crew mates all burst out laughing, even though they all know that they are only doing this because they need to keep the chains. Josh knows this too. "You disgust me you sick bastard." Josh spits at the captain.

"Quick, throw him in now!" The captain hates being insulted.

"Oh and one more thing."

"No!" The captain demands.

"I curse you and your ship!" Josh doesn't believe in curses nor does he know anything about them, but he does know the captain.

"Uuugghhh!" The captain yells tearing his beard out. "Now! Throw him in! Do it quick, before he dooms us all!"

"Too late!" Josh laughs darkly at them as he is picked up and thrown into the sea.

The captain stands there looking furious but worried. He is very superstitious. Just as he is beginning to wonder if his swabbie boy had been an evil spirit, a dragon comes out of nowhere. No! The curse is working already!

"Dragon attack!" He yells.

Most men get straight to manning the cannons, but some others stare at the beast in shock. There are exited, worried and smug chatter filling the ship.

Josh's eyes open wide as he breaks the surface of the icy cold water. 'Oh man cold, that's cold. Stupid salt, stings like hell.' He thinks as he struggles to resurface. Man, how deep had he gone? This is taking forever.

Finally he surfaces and breathes, but now... Gaah! There's a dragon, (yeah that's right a dragon) coming right at him! A black dragon with four little stumps for legs, a half black and half red tail, green eyes, a saddle? And a rider!

Wow, Josh wonders where on earth he has to be for there to not only be dragons, but dragon riders. 'I wonder...' Yep, sure enough, the black dragon isn't the only one. A bit further back are four more dragons (five if you counted the double headed one twice) also with riders.

"Fire!" Josh whips his head around in the direction of the ship only to see the captain standing there, sword raised to signal to the men at the cannons below deck... Josh supposes it is more for effect than anything else.

The black dragon that had been coming at him has turned around and is flying in the other direction.

Josh looks at the ship, and back at the boy on the dragon. 'Oh you have got to be-' the cannon is about to fire, the ball is going to fly right at him, and it is going to hit him in the back.

Josh can only watch as this exact prediction happens right in front of him, only, his friends call out to him and the boy turns around just in time to see it coming for him right before it hits him full in the chest.

Josh watches as not only the boy but also the dragon plummet into the sea. Josh has many questions, but ignores all of them and focuses on getting to the fallen boy instead. He gets there just in time to see the dragon rider go under, and after taking a deep breath Josh dives down after him.

It's only eight seconds before Josh resurfaces with the unconscious boy slung over his shoulder, but by the time he's done that he finds they're surrounded by flaming wood. 'What the? Oh come on!' This will make things tricky. Well at least that stupid pirate ship is gone along with everyone on it.

They need to get out of here. Josh starts to swim away. What else can he do?

The boy slung over his shoulder's breathing sounds really bad... At least he is breathing. If the dragon hadn't been flying so fast in the opposite direction to the cannonball, he would not have even survived.

Despite how incredibly obvious it is, it hasn't quite sunk in yet that this boy had been trying to save him. Josh is still awfully tired...

He keeps on swimming for what feels like forever, until he hears something, talking it sounds like. Josh ignores it. He has to be imagining.

Josh is proved wrong when a large blue and yellow dragon with lots of spikes and a rider lands in the water beside him. "Hiccup, are... Is he okay?" The girl asks.

Josh treads water. Man, what is WRONG with him? He had seen these people just before! How had he forgotten about them? "Well, I'd bet my life he's seen better days, but he's alive." Josh replies in his Irish accent.

"Do you think you can pass him up?"

"Sure, just let me get a little closer..."

Together Astrid and Josh get Hiccup up onto Stormfly's back.

It wasn't easy, and Josh suspects they accidentally jostled his ribs, because the boy yelled out at one point, and woke up a little. "Toothless..." He had murmured. This caused both Astrid and Josh to worry about him.

"Hey I could really use some help down here!" The girl yells up to two more dragons with riders, before they fly down to lend a hand.

"Snotlout, help that boy there." The girl on the blue dragon orders.

"Ugh, fine." A huge red and orange dragon with bright yellow eyes and a muscly and annoyed looking rider lands in the water to the other side of Josh. "Hop on." The boy called Snotlout instructs.

Despite... Everything, Josh doesn't hesitate to obey. Sitting atop the dragon, Josh notices steam floating up from his wet clothes and realises how incredibly warm this beasts back is. Before he can think about it too much, the dragon takes off into the air, startling him a little.

As they fly higher, the double headed dragon and it's riders move just in time to avoid being hit by a bulky green dragon and it's own rider.

The dragon passes them as it had not slowed down enough to stop in time, and is forced to turn around and come back.

"Oh you found him, thank Thor. Is he okay?"

"I don't know. He only came close enough to consciousness to mutter Toothless' name."

"Oh no, Toothless! We forgot all about him!" The boy on the green dragon and the girl on the blue one converse

Suddenly everyone is silenced as an anguished roar rips through the air.

Josh guesses Toothless is the black dragon the injured boy had been riding earlier.

The gang all take off toward the sound.

...

The ride back to Berk is a long one, and not just because everyone is either injured or anxious, but because the dragons have to pull Toothless home. Said dragon had climbed onto a piece of pirate ship that wasn't on fire, to avoid drowning, so the gang had attached some rope to it. It was a good idea, but was much more time consuming than simply flying.

Josh is feeling tired, but it isn't stopping him from asking questions and talking to Snotlout.

"So let me get this straight, you're name is Snotlout, his name is Fishlegs, their names are Ruffnut and Tuffnut, his name is Hiccup, and her name is Astrid?" Josh points out each person as he names them except for Ruffnut and Tuffnut as he's sure he'll never be able to tell their names apart.

"Yeah actually, I can't believe you got that." Snotlout replies.

"Hmm, Astrid. Kinda sounds different I can't help but notice."

"Huh? Astrid? What are you talking about?"

"Never mind. How about the name of your village? Berk was it?"

"Yeah that's right..."

"Really? You do know what that means right?"

"Huh?... Stop confusing me!"

"Sorry."

What is it with these Vikings? Riding around on dragons, weird names, weird helmets and probably more for him to find out about too. Astrid was the only normal name he'd heard so far...

"Gods, you never stop asking questions do you?"

Annnddd there you go, yet another item to add onto the list. He had heard a few of them say it already but he needed to hear it one more time to confirm it. God. S. Crazy Vikings.

"And your name is Josh?" Snotlout asks.

"Yeah."

"I'm guessing you come from Ireland?"

"Are the hair and the accent that much of a giveaway?"

"Yeah. Anyway, have you ever ridden a dragon before?"

"Never ever seen one."

Just then Hiccup wakes up. "Astrid?"

"Hiccup! Your awake, how are you feeling?" Astrid asks the boy in her arms.

"What?" Hiccup gasps before he is taken over by wracking coughs.

'His lungs must be damaged or something...' Astrid thinks. "Settle down, and don't talk. We're almost home."


	4. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Stormfly and Hookfang land in the centre of the village, Astrid still holding Hiccup tightly in her arms.

Meatlug, Barf and Belch are down at the docks letting Toothless onto land, but will be back in a few minutes.

Astrid hops off of Stormfly as carefully as possible, but it's obviously pretty hard to get off a dragon gently, because it wakes Hiccup.

"Somebody help!" Astrid shouts. A few people come running.

"What's wrong lass?" Someone asks.

"Go get Gothi." Astrid instructs.

After seeing the boy in her arms, the stranger obliges without feeling the need for hesitation or questions.

Snotlout and Josh climb down off of Hookfang's back and stand out of the way.

Astrid gently lays Hiccup on the ground, in the middle of the circle formed by people and dragons. Hiccup winces, and can't hold back a yelp as his wounded ribs shift under his skin.

"Sorry, sorry. Just hold on." Astrid kneels next to him, whispering words of comfort until a great booming voice interrupts them.

"What in Thor's name is going on here?!" Stoick the vast shouts as he pushes his way through the crowd towards his son.

Meatlug, Fishlegs, Barf, Ruffnut, Belch and Tuffnut had landed just outside the circle after having gotten Toothless safely to the docks. Fishlegs had already made his way into the circle, and can never not answer a question.

"Well sir, we were just training as usual, and we were out at sea on a kind of endurance test, headed for dragon island actually. Anyway, we were flying along when Tuffnut spotted this–"

"-Hiccup got hit by a cannonball." Snotlout interrupts.

Everyone is silently staring at him, except for Stoick. "WHAT?!"

"Pirate ship shot an iron ball, Hiccup got hit." Snotlout repeats.

Now everyone is silent.

People start to part, as Gothi has arrived. She slowly makes her way towards Hiccup, leaning heavily on her staff.

When she's reached him, she kneels down to inspect him, prodding at his ribs, taking in his reactions. Opening up his mouth and looking down his throat, listening to his breathing and heartbeat and checking for any other injuries.

At the end of it all, she stands up and shakes her head.

"What's wrong?!" Stoick demands.

Gothi signals for him to be quite before taking her staff, and drawing symbols in the sand.

Stoick just nods as he reads them. It's mostly only instructions like, 'stay in bed, I make him medicine, I check his tongue, eat lots of spinach,' and so on.

Hiccup simply stares on, more focused on breathing than anything else.

Having finished discussing the matter with Gothi, Stoick very carefully, bends down and picks up his son and takes him inside to bed.

Gobber, who had been watching unusually quietly for himself, was about to follow Stoick into the house when he spotted Josh.

"Why hello there, who might this be?" He asks.

"Oh, hey. My name's Josh." Josh replies, not waiting to be introduced.

"Where'd you come from eh?" Gobber asks in his usual friendly manner.

"Uh, the pirate ship..." Answers Josh honestly.

Gobber takes a moment to have a look at the boy standing in front of him. Short, straight, uneven, red hair, green eyes, shredded rags and cuts on his face. "The pirate ship eh... You wanna come with me boy, we'll see what I can do for ya."

Josh shrugs. "Okay." He has nowhere else to be, and he is starting to like this man already. He starts to follow him away. "So, what's your name?"

"Gobber."

"You crazy Vikings." Josh finally says playfully.

Gobber laughs. "Where are you from boy?"

"Ireland." Josh smiles as the pair continue to walk away.

Fishlegs, Ruffnut and Tuffnut walk off to get something to eat. Snotlout is about to follow them when Astrid stops him.

"How did you know what they were called?" She demands.

"What?" Snotlout asks.

"The cannonballs! They're made from iron! All that!" Astrid shouts.

"Uh... Josh told me, duh. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm off to fill this stomach!"

"Like it needs any more of that." Astrid rolls her eyes and follows him.

...

"So yeah, that's pretty much how I ended up here." Josh finishes.

Gobber and Josh were both sitting at a table in the great hall, enjoying their lunch over the mornings tale.

"Sounds like you've had quite a morning lad." Gobber manages through a mouthful of mutton. "I'll bet you're just glad you're off that pirate ship."

"Yeah you're right. Pirates. All fun and games right?" Josh jokes.

Gobber laughs but feels a pang of sorrow for the boy. "How long exactly were you on that ship Josh? Were you taken away from your home?"

Josh sighs. "I never got to meet my sister. I don't even know if mum survived the birth. I don't know if dad got back to her. I was nine when I was taken. I'm fifteen now. Six years."

"I'm sure they all found each other alright boy." Gobber tries.

"I may never know, but it's alright. I am sure they're fine. We'll all be together again one day."

Gobber just smiles at him. He's really starting to like him. "What's say we get you into some new clothes eh?" He offers, standing up.

Josh stands up as well and looks down at his bloodied shredded outfit and decides it couldn't hurt. "I don't think it would be very wise to turn that down." He shrugs, regretting it and wincing as his wounds pull.

"What's wrong boy?" Gobber asks, catching his wince.

"Nothing. Just something I got on the ship."

Gobber stares at him for a second before forgetting it, and leading him off to get some new clothes.

Josh follows and listens as Gobber rambles on about his own encounters with pirates over the years.

...

"How's he going..?" Stoick asks tiredly.

Gothi just shakes her head slowly.

Stoick sighs a big loud sigh. "How come he can't just get better? There always has to be SOMETHING. Something that happens before he gets better, as if he's gone back into the underworld to get something!"

Gothi ignores him as she walks outside, intending on going home. She has other patients to attend to.

Stoick slumps down into a chair, his head falling into his right hand. "Why is it always him?" He wonders aloud.

Stoick hears knocking on the door, but he ignores it. The knocking eventually stops, and is replaced with the sound of the door creaking open, and footsteps coming across the room.

"Stoick, sir?" The person asks.

"What is it?" Stoick grumbles dangerously.

"How is he going?"

Stoick gets up out of his chair to come face to face with whoever is in his house. "Astrid?"

"Yes Chief, it's me. I'd like to see Hiccup." Astrid speaks calmly up at him.

"Well he's not doing that well okay? He hasn't woken up, and he won't keep any medicine down, so why don't you just leave us in peace!?" Stoick yells.

"Because..." Astrid swallows. "I care about him, and I would like to see him, whether or not he's awake. The last time I saw him, he was in bad way, and I'd like to see for myself how he is."

"He's upstairs." Stoick sighs, waving a hand and dropping back down into his seat.

Astrid walks quickly to, and up the steps before quietly opening the door to Hiccup's room.

...

"Right this way." Gobber instructs enthusiastically.

"Gobber! Really, where are you taking me?" Josh asks as he runs to catch up with him. Who knew a man with a peg leg could be so fast...

"You're gonna love this!" Gobber says gleefully. "Ta dah!"

"A hut..?" Josh stares.

"That's right. Step inside and I'll give you the grand tour!" Gobber swings the wooden door open, and then winces slightly as it hits the wall with a bang.

Josh steps inside as instructed, and pulls a confused face at Gobber, but Gobber just proceeds as if he didn't see.

"That's the bed, that's the chair, that's the table, and that's the wee little window." He says, turning his hook hand in front of him as if screwing something in mid air. "Ya like it?"

"What? What are you talking about?" Josh finally asks.

"I talked to Stoick, and he's letting you stay here, in the spare hut!"

"What? You talked to who?"

"Well, he didn't actually do a lot of talking, he's still pretty upset about–" Gobber stops. "Oh right. Stoick is the chief of the Hooligan tribe, the father of Hiccup, and the best friend of me. He also doesn't mind you staying here."

"Stay here... You're letting me stay?" Josh half asks, half states. He hadn't even asked to stay... "Are you sure about this Gobber?" Josh has a suspicion that this was all Gobber's idea, and is not sure he's completely welcome.

"You don't wanna stay?" Gobber's face falls.

"No, no no no, that's not what I meant! But I'm not entirely sure if how you said it, is how it is. Did Chief Stoick actually SAY yes, or was it more of a, whatever?"

"Eerrrr..." Gobber pulls a face, as if he's trying to make a decision. "Of course he said yes! What do you take us for boy?"

Josh looks around the tiny hut. Well, he supposes it's not really a big deal anyway. If Gobber says Stoick agreed, he's just going to have to take his word for it. (Even if he has his suspicions.) Also, it's not like he's got a lot of stuff with him. It's not a big thing to move in or out, so if they decide they don't want him there, it's easy to just leave. He also remembers the fact that he has nowhere else to go.

Josh turns back to Gobber and smiles widely. "Thanks Gobber."

Gobber smiles widely back at him.

Au: okay, so that did used to happen, slave traders would just drop in Ireland for a visit, and pretty much just take young boys out of their homes and sell them, to pirates and navy, though the ages of this and vikings won't match up very well, but its a story ;)


	5. Chapter 4

Chapter 4:

AN: this will be the last chapter for a little while just saying. It took me a while to write all this, I'm still working on the last chapter, few chapters? I'm not really sure, I know how I could end it here, but if anyone wants it to continue on longer pm me with your ideas, even if I've already put up an ending chapter, we can always change it if someone has a good idea.

Also, a big thanks to anyone who review/fav/follow :)

AND for anyone who loves httyd books by Cressida Cowell and listening to music, imagine Camacazi singing Taylor Swift's Change! ;)

...

Josh is startled when he wakes up the next morning, in a comfortable bed, in a tiny strange hut that is not even rocking like a ship, in new clothes. The only thing that was feeling normal was, he felt tired, and a lot of stuff was hurting. He wasn't even feeling hungry, but then, all of a sudden, all the memories from the previous day came rushing back at once.

"A lot can change in one day..." Josh mutters to himself as he pulls back the sheets and gets out of bed.

Josh is on his way out the door when he spots his old clothes piled up on the wooden chair. He makes a mental note to clean them and use them to sleep in.

Josh decides just to take a quick walk around the village before he goes to the mead hall, where Gobber said to go in the morning. Apparently, the villagers eat together most of the time. There were still a lot of people around though. People walking around, people pushing carts, people talking and carrying things around, kids were playing and fighting, one guy was fixing his roof...

It was so peaceful, so nice, so... So spacious, and free... 'Six years on a ship can really change the way you look at things...' Josh thinks.

When Josh eventually makes it to the hall, he immediately starts to search for Gobber, but seeing him nowhere, he decides instead on sitting with the dragon riders.

"Hey guys, this seat taken?"

The group all look up at him.

"Nah, go ahead." Snotlout shrugs.

Josh is about to sit down when Astrid stops him. "Hang on, you haven't got anything to eat yet." She points out.

Josh opens his mouth to say something but then shuts it again.

"Do you know where to get the food?" Snotlout asks. Everyone stares at him. Since when was Snotlout considerate?

"What?" Snotlout snaps at them before standing up. "Come on." He says lightly backhanding Josh's arm, and walking away.

Josh follows him.

"What was all that?" Astrid asks, once the two boys were out of earshot.

"I know right?" Tuffnut says. "It was so weird."

"You don't know what you're talking about do you?" Ruffnut asks quietly, leaning toward her brother.

"Ew! Get away from me!" Tuffnut shoves his sister aside. "I can smell your breath."

"So what? You're breath smells the same as my breath. We're twins." Ruffnut tells him.

Tuffnut gasps dramatically and gets up from his seat. "No, no, no!" He screams, dropping to his knees and gripping his forehead as he stares up at the ceiling.

Everyone stares at him for a moment, before Fishlegs clears his throat, and continues their previous conversation. "So, anyway. You were saying, Astrid?"

"Ahh... Yes..." Astrid says, tearing her eyes from the twins. "I was saying that–

"I gotta get away from it!" Tuffnut shouts, standing up and running around in circles.

"Tuffnut! Come here, and I'll tell you how to get rid of this terrible, terrible disease." Ruffnut says shaking her head.

"Anything!" Tuffnut declares getting back on his knees in front of Ruffnut.

"Come a little closer."

Tuffnut shuffles forward a little bit.

"A little more..."

Tuffnut shuffles forwards again.

Ruffnut leans down towards her brother, takes a deep breath, and blows as much air as she can into his face.

Tuffnut REALLY screams then. He continues to scream and yell as Ruffnut chases him around the great hall, and out the door, still blowing air on him.

Fishlegs sighs loudly. "Again, what were you saying, Astrid?"

Astrid also lets out a big sigh. "I was SAYING, that Snotlout–

"What's up with them?" Fishlegs and Astrid hear a voice ask.

"Oh just ignore them. They're always doing stuff like that." They hear a voice reply.

"Oh, okay then."

Josh and Snotlout both take a seat where the twins had previously been sitting.

"Ugh.." Astrid grunts and leans back in her chair, giving up on speaking.

Josh silently thanks the lord for his meal, before gratefully tucking in.

"Snotlout! What are you doing?" Astrid scolds. "When you had seconds,that was expected, but seriously THIRDS?"

"What?" Snotlout says through a mouthful of food, little pieces flying everywhere. "A good warrior needs a big meal."

"It doesn't help that he loves food..." Fishlegs mutters.

"And speaking of food, I'm gonna have to go feed the dragons soon." Astrid says standing up, taking her empty plate in her hands.

"Where ARE the dragons anyway?" Asks Josh.

"At the academy. We had to lock them all up, including Toothless. He would freak out if he saw Hiccup hurt..." Astrid swallows. She'd been trying not to think about Hiccup. She starts to walk away.

"Hey, wait, I was wondering um..." Josh searches for the right words. "Have you actually seen Hiccup? Like, does anyone know how he is?"

Astrid sighs, sitting back down and forgetting about forgetting about Hiccup. "I've seen him..."

...

Hiccup's eyes open up wide as a cupful of disgusting red liquid is tipped down his neck. He automatically sits up, and gags, and the medicine is spilled all over him.

He hears a great sigh but pays it no attention, as he is attempting and failing to get his breath back. Just breathing is hurting him so much, but if he thinks breathing is bad– Hiccup breaks out into a coughing fit and the pain intensifies by what feels like a hundred.

"Son!" He hears his father shout. "Settle down! You need to stop coughing!"

That much is obvious, Hiccup doesn't exactly want to be coughing anymore than his father wants him to.

Hiccup eventually stops coughing, and drops back down onto his pillow.

"Hiccup, you know you're not supposed to cough!" Stoick yells.

Hiccup just nods.

Just as Stoick is opening his mouth to speak again, there is a knock on Hiccup's bedroom door. The person doesn't wait for an answer however. Instead, the old lady stumbles right in with a tray of new medicines for Hiccup to try.

"Oh, no. Dad?" Hiccup asks quietly, though each word was hard on his lungs. "I don't know if I can– Hiccup starts to cough again.

Still standing in the doorway with the medicine, Gothi glares at Stoick, and signals for him to come outside so that she can tell him something.

Stoick looks back at Hiccup, sighs again and follows the elder down the stairs.

...

Josh and Snotlout see Gothi come back out of the house closely followed by Stoick. Perfect.

"Okay, so here's the plan; you keep them distracted while I sneak in. I have to get a good look." Josh explains. "You good?"

"Yeah no problem, but still, I'm not really sure about this."

"Listen, judging by what Astrid said, Hiccup needs help. Real help, and I really don't trust that woman."

"Actually, for an old nag, she's pretty good at what she does. She can tell when you're gonna die by looking at your tongue."

"But there's something about that, and seagull poop medicine that just doesn't seem helpful. If I can just get a look, I'll know what needs to be done. Like I said, healing was my thing back in Ireland."

"Okay fine, but remember, if you hurt him you'll be talking to my fist." Snotlout threatens. Hiccup IS his cousin after all.

Josh wishes he didn't have to sneak in, but Astrid had made it clear that there was a strict 'no visitors' policy until Hiccup got better. Astrid as an exception.

Snotlout walks over to where Stoick and Gothi are standing. "Hey, what are you guys doing?" He asks casually as he walks over Gothi's writing, rubbing it out instantly.

"Snotlout!" Stoick yells.

Josh takes a deep breath. Here goes.

Josh quickly slinks into the house and runs up the stairs, quietly opening the door to the room that was supposed to be Hiccup's.

Sure enough, in the room is a bed with a boy laying in it. Hiccup. Josh runs over, hoping he is already awake. Lucky for Josh, he hears the sound of rustling sheets and sees Hiccup move.

"Shh." Josh instructs. "I need to check you over, there's no time to explain. Just tell me what hurts. Okay?"

"What?" Hiccup croaks.

Josh shushes him again before quickly checking him over.

He definitely has broken ribs. Luckily they had been wrapped but it's going to need more. He could even have a punctured lung. Josh sure hopes not. If only someone had just told him...

Josh's eyes land on Hiccup's dresser, where a tray of cups of medicine lay. Josh quickly examines them, and just by the smell, he can tell it won't help.

"What are you doing here?" Hiccup demands.

Josh pays him no mind, instead focusing on disposing of the foul liquids that his new friend was meant to consume, by tipping the contents on the tray out a window.

"What are you doing!?" Hiccup repeats.

"Sorry Hiccup, I gotta go." Josh runs back down the stairs and out the door.

...

"I don't believe it." Stoick rants. "Why would someone do that!? Hiccup needed that medicine, and it's going to take all day for Gothi to make just one!"

Gobber frowns. "Well maybe there's a good explanation for it." He reasons.

"What good explanation can a pirates slave who we barely know, have for throwing my injured son's medicine out the window Gobber!?"

"Well... He seemed like a good kid Stoick. When they find him, maybe you should give him a chance to explain anyway."

"After what he did? No, when the men find him, he goes straight to the dungeon, no questions." Stoick balled his fists hard until his knuckles cracked. "The only explanation for all this, is he is a pirate. He doesn't care what happens to my son as long as he gets away."

"But gets away with what Stoick?" Gobber points out. "What has he done that's bad enough that he would have to create that sort of distraction?"

"I don't know, but whatever it is, it was bad enough to get him flogged and thrown overboard." Stoick growls.

"They were pirates Stoick."

"And so was he."

...

As Josh stands panting at the edge of the forest, he can't help but wonder whether he will have enough energy to do what needs to be done... He quickly shakes that thought away, and and starts to walk deep into the forest.

Oh how he had missed all this, the bright green glow of sunlight filtering through leaves, the crunch of sticks and leaves under his feet, the scent of pine and rain and life, the peaceful sound of birds singing to themselves...

Josh sighs. As nice as all these things were, nothing would beat the sight of a certain growing plant. He had seen them mostly growing near rivers in Ireland, so maybe if he finds a river, he finds his comfrey.

Josh stops, and listens for the sound of running water. Nothing. Sighing again, Josh continues to make his way through the forest, keeping an eye and an ear out for what he needs to find.

He eventually comes to a little cliff. Josh stops and looks for a good way to get down. He sees a root sticking out of the dirt, and decides that it can help him. One hand gripping the root tight, Josh lowers his bare feet down to a ledge. All of a sudden, the ledge he is standing on collapses, and Josh is sent tumbling down the cliff, the sharp rocks and roots tearing at his skin as he goes.

He doesn't fall for long, but when he gets to the bottom he finds that the cuts on his back, chest and face have been reopened, and are stinging terribly.

"Just what I needed." Josh groans as he gets back up. "I must be outta practice."

He walks. And walks. And walks, and walks and walks, and finally stops. Josh bends forward to rest his hands on his knees. Tired already. The pirates really had been working him to death on that ship. He hasn't yet recovered from it all. Josh can't imagine what would have happened if he were still on the ship...

All of a sudden, he hears a noise. Josh lifts his drooping head and strains his ears to hear properly... Water. A creek. A river, comfrey!

Forgetting about his previous fatigue, Josh runs towards the sound until he reaches the river.

"Finally, finally." He gasps, looking up and down the river bank where a few tall green plants with little purple bell flowers are growing.

Josh does not hesitate to start collecting it, ignoring the tingle in his hands as the tiny little spines stick into him.

Suddenly a wave of dizziness washes over him, and Josh grips his head and falls to his knees. It is getting harder for him to breathe. Fatigue sweeps over him once more.

'No.' He thinks. 'I'm supposed to be getting back, I have to stay awake.'

Josh slowly lifts his head as he turns to go back, but what he sees stops him in his tracks. Blood. A long, thick trail of it leading from himself, back deep into the forest to where he'd come from.

Josh stands and stares for a moment, his empty hand reaching for his back. He is startled, but not surprised at the wetness of his shirt, and wonders how he could not have noticed this before, it was all over his back, his chest and his face! Then finally, Josh's eyes roll back in his head as he crashes to the ground. Out cold.


	6. Chapter 5

Oh my gosh... I'm so sorry because I haven't updated in forever! So so sorry, lack of motivation I guess but mostly I'm so self conscious about this story but thank my mum! She reminded me she liked my writing so I'm updating.

Forgot to mention in the last chapter, seagull poop medicine. Hm. Must sound weird but it's from the books, for chicken pox. Anything that sounds weird is from the books lol

I won't ever discontinue this story, so yeah.

Reviews/ favs/ follows appreciated, thanks so much to everyone who has;)

"I swear, I'm gonna wring his scrawny little neck when I find him!" Astrid fumes.

Astrid, Fishlegs and Snotlout are searching the forest with their dragons, as ordered by Chief Stoick the Vast, O Hear His Name and Tremble Ugh, Ugh, Ugh.

Ruffnut and Tuffnut had insisted they search the underground tunnels, saying that they could 'sense' that Josh was in there, and that that's where they would go if they were criminals. No one had any objections, and they are now free of the twins for once!

"Yeah, and while you're doing that I'm going to carry out MY threat." Snotlout says angrily grinding a balled fist into his other palm and cracking his knuckles threateningly. "He is going to be a pile of useless PULP after I'm done with him!"

"I still can't believe you trusted him over Gothi, what the heck were you thinking Snotlout?!" Astrid argues.

"I don't know! He seemed to have a good point at the time, but- I dunno I guess I just-

"Thought you'd put Hiccup's life in danger for no good reason?!"

"No! That's not it-

"Then what is, Snotlout?! Every time someone's life is in danger, it always has something to do with you!"

"Wait, so you're saying that everything is MY fault?!"

Astrid opens her mouth to reply, but Fishlegs rushes to break them up. "Guys, stop it!" He shouts. "This isn't about either of you. It's about Hiccup. We're out here to help our friend, not to fight."

"I don't see what good it does for Hiccup though." Astrid retaliates. Being out here searching for a pirate we're never going to find. I knew it was a bad idea trying to save him, I TOLD Hiccup but he never listens to-

"Over there!" Fishlegs shouts.

"Oh for crying out loud." Astrid mumbles, running after Fishlegs and Snotlout over to whatever he's found.

What they see shocks them, as there in front of them is Josh, lying crumpled up on his front, soaked in blood clutching a fistful of weeds.

The three dragon riders stand and stare open mouthed as their eyes discover a trail of red, starting at the boys feet and leading off into the forest.

"Oh Thor," Fishlegs swallows. "Quickly! We need to do something!"

Snotlout and Astrid don't move.

"Come on, we need to help, get some water from the creek, we need to find the wounds and stop the bleeding." Fishlegs repeats frantically.

This time, Snotlout and Astrid snap out of it. Astrid finds a horn in her saddle bag, blows it loud as a signal that they found him, then uses it to carry some water from the creek. Snotlout manages to tear some cloth from Fishlegs' shirt for the blood, much to Fishlegs' displeasure.

Together, the friends manage to get it under control, and stop to take a break.

"What do you think happened?" Fishlegs pants.

"Do you think it could have been a dragon attack?" Astrid suggests.

"No it couldn't have been. These cuts are like nothing I've ever seen from a dragon. They're not like claw marks, they're to jagged and inconsistent."

"Hey geniuses, isn't it obvious?" Snotlout butts in. "It was those lousy pirates that did this to him! Don't you remember? The yelling, the the cat tail whip thing, all that crazy stuff that happened yesterday which is the actual reason why we're here anyway?"

"Oh of course!" Fishlegs exclaims with a face palm. "How could I forget?"

"Because you're a muttonhead, now come on, we gotta figure out a way to get him back to Berk." Snotlout says.

"Do you think we should wait for him to wake up?" Astrid asks.

"If we do, we might have to tie him up first." Fishlegs replies.

"I'll get some rope." Astrid turns and walks toward her dragon.

"What's that in his hand anyway?" Snotlout points.

"Hmm." Fishlegs bends down to have a closer look. "It's comfrey, I recognise it from my botany book. The name means 'the plant for broken bones.' It likes wet cool weather, and can have purple or white flowers."

Astrid turns and drops the rope. "What did you say?"

"He's holding comfrey, I recognise it from my book."

"No, the name meaning? Means healing right?"

"Yes, it's the plant for broken bones."

"Hiccup has broken bones."

Everyone turns to look at Josh.

"I knew it!" Shouts Snotlout, after a minute. "He must have been trying to help after all."

"Fishlegs, are you absolutely sure this stuff heals people?" Astrid demands.

"Positive."

"In that case, we should be getting it back to Hiccup right away."

"It can probably heal Josh too." Snotlout tells them.

"Hmm, you could be right. We better grab some more." Astrid says, and the group all start to collect as much of the plant as they can.

After a quick discussion, they also come to a decision that it would be best to head back right away, and after a lot of messing around trying to get the unconscious Josh to stay on Hookfang, the gang head back to join up with the rest of the search party who had surely gathered in the centre of the village after hearing Astrid's horn.

...

The gang land in the centre of the village where many people are beginning to gather. Most of them look on as they start to lift the pirate boy off Snotlout's nightmare. The boy awakens as the dragon riders are attempting to move him, and gets down from the dragon himself.

The crowd begin to part as people see Stoick coming. "That'll be all thank you." Stoick tells the dragon riders as he comes to a stop in front of Josh.

"Wait Stoick." Astrid butts in. Before you throw him in a prison and- That will be all thank you." Stoick repeats.

"But Chief we've- That's enough!" Snotlout attempts to take over, but Stoick is in no mood. "I sent you out to find him, not to tell me what to do with him. Take him away." He instructs the men. "To the prison, where he can rot for the rest of his life." He spits, glaring hard at Josh.

The men grab him by the arms and start to carry him off before the boy can really realise what's happening.

The dragon riders are unsure of what to do... They had failed to defend Josh, but maybe they could at least help Hiccup.

"Um, Chief Stoick, sir?" Started Fishlegs.

Stoick doesn't bother to face Fishlegs, deciding instead on making sure the boy wasn't trying to change his mind. "This isn't about him is it?"

"Uh no, sir, it's actually that we just, well you know, in the forest there were these plants you see- the ones Josh was holding-

"Yes..?" Interrupted a growl.

Fishlegs gulped. "And uh, he was k-kinda collecting them, and as it turns out-

"Yes?" Came another growl.

"That he was actually-

"Yes?"

"You know-

Yes?!"

"...trying to help..."

"...oh?" Stoick turns and says to Fishlegs gruffly. "And how exactly do you think he was trying to help?"

"The plants he was collecting, I recognise them from my botany book. It's called comfrey, the name literally meaning 'the plant for broken bones'. It has the power to heal sir."

Stoick walks over and snatches the plant from Astrid's hand. After giving it a short glance and a quick whiff, he dismisses the idea. "Nothing but an old wives tale. Now go fetch Gothi some pine sap and some yaks tongues. She needs to make a new batch of real medicine for my son."

...

The men drag Josh down into the prison and shove him into their darkest cell- the one that had been specially taken care of to hold Alvin, but as he wasn't so much of a problem anymore, Stoick had thought it would be the perfect place for the slave who had tried to kill his son.

Josh puts up no fight, settling instead for simply lying on the ground once in his cell, wondering how he'd gotten there and why he isn't dead.

He soon realises that he is back where he'd started from, he'd had one simple task he had failed to complete, was thrown into a cell awaiting only death. And still grateful for the option to sleep, but this time he finds he can't. He is worried about the boy on the dragon- Hiccup the name was? His mind temporarily drifts to wondering why the Vikings had these sorts of names but the relief from his thoughts doesn't last long.

Were these people really planning on just leaving him here? It had sure seemed like a real threat. Every time Josh was in the presence of this Stoick fellow, he seemed to be either angry or yelling. He found it hard to believe Stoick was supposed to be Hiccup's dad...

He hopes that they aren't actually planning on leaving him here... The reason he could bear awaiting death on the pirate ship was because he knew that it was coming! When it was coming, how it was going to happen... Josh doesn't like the idea of simply rotting.

He wonders what he's supposed to do... He thinks he got the medicine, but how would he get it to Hiccup? How is Hiccup going to get better if no one knows it's medicine?! Josh cannot imagine a worse situation than knowing how to help someone but not being able to because no one trusts you. On top of that, he can't just go sneaking back into his house and treat him with it anyway, as they'd gone so far as to lock him in a cell. Josh supposes it does look pretty bad for him since they probably thought that awful red stuff he threw out would work.

His mind drifts to Gobber and he is filled with guilt. Gobber... He had been so kind, so helpful and friendly. They had liked each other right from the start and now he probably thought Josh was just like all those other pirates.

Josh's face scrunches up as he struggles to keep above the surface of the ocean that is his thoughts. If he was really going to rot in here, Josh is sure his heart will be the first thing to go...

...

"Ugh! This is so frustrating!" Astrid yells, pounding a fist on the sap covered pine tree in front of her. "We have the medicine! Why won't Stoick just let us use it? I mean- he just doesn't listen..."

"Tell us something we didn't know." Snotlout rolls his eyes as he drips the sticky sap into a small wooden bowl.

"But seriously, if he's willing to feed his son goats blood, pine sap, and yak tongues for pain, living earwigs for a stomach ache, sheep's mucus and flies for temperature, willing to rub on him runny seagulls poo for chicken pox, then what's the big issue with using a plant literally named "use this for healing broken bones" to help him?"

"We know what the issue is Astrid! We all know how ridiculous this is, but if you know so much more about it than us, then I'd really love to here what we can actually do about it!" Snotlout shouts.

Astrid turns to face him. "Snotlout, I don't think you understand that Hiccup's life is in danger."

"I know full and well who's lives are in danger Astrid! Stop treating me like an idiot, I pay more attention than you think. I haven't misunderstood anything about this situation we're in but I don't think that you have realised that the person Hiccup risked his life to save could be dying right now."

"Yeah but Hiccup-

"Hiccup will survive, he's been through worse, he knows we're trying to help him and that we care about him and all that mushy stuff, it helps alright! I've noticed that people who are dying stay alive way better if they have something to stay alive for. He has way more to live for than Josh right now."

Astrid and Fishlegs stare.

"He wasn't on that pirate ship because he was a pirate, he was kidnapped." Snotlout continues. "He was made into a slave. He told me so himself, he was on there for six years with those pirates. He's been waiting six years to see his parents again, he has a baby sister he's never met! He said that's the only reason he never gave up, because if you do that, you might as well be marooning yourself, or something like that. He didn't give up because he thought he would see his family again, but where he is now, after everything that's happened- I'm just saying that everyone has a breaking point. We have to do something about that Astrid. Not just for him but for Hiccup too."

"Snotlout?" Fishlegs slowly questions. "Are you feeling alright..?"

"We don't know this boy Snotlout." Astrid objects, ignoring Fishlegs. "He could be lying about all that, it all seems too emotionally fake. He was probably trying to get to you, and it looks like it's worked." Astrid crosses her arms. "People don't just go around telling people that kind of stuff."

"You don't see me talking like this every day Astrid. You probably wouldn't see him doing it either. We were talking and it kind of just happened. He didn't just start pouring sob stories on me, it was real. Not that it really matters to you anyway, I don't care if you don't care because what I need you to care about right now is the present situation."

"Of course I care about the situation, Snotlout." Astrid states calmly. "I just think we should focus on helping Hiccup first- he's more important than the pirate boy-

"Stop calling him that, he's not a pirate-

"He tipped Hiccup's medicine out the window- Astrid frowns.

"He was trying to help!"

"Well he's got a very ODD way of showing it!"

"What? So you thought that disgusting stuff was actually gonna help?"

"Yes, actually, I do trust Berk's best and only healer better than I trust that kid we just dragged of a pirate ship yesterday,"

"Actually, he kind of saved Hiccup."

"Okay Snotlout, I think it's about time you spat it out."

"What?"

"Why do you actually CARE about this kid?"

"What do you mean? I can't see why you don't, he's done only good thing after-

"Snotlout! Tell us why you care!"

"For Thor's sake, because he doesn't treat me like an idiot! For starters."

"Well that obviously means he doesn't know you."

Snotlout is silent for a minute. "You know what, I give up. I am officially giving up trying to talk to you, if I'm gonna have to do this all on my own then so be it. I'd rather just do this myself than stand around here arguing with you."

"Alright that's enough Snotlout, I don't know what's gotten into you, but you better quit it right now."

"For Thor's sake Astrid! You're not the boss of me, stop acting like you even know me!"

"There's nothing we can DO Snotlout! You don't disobey the Chief, and we've tried changing his mind. We need to get Hiccup up and running again, he'll think of some– "Just shut up Astrid!" Snotlout shouts.

"Forget about it! I'll do it myself." Snotlout starts to stomp off in the direction of Silent Sven's fields and the house that had previously belonged to Mildew.

"Berk's the other way Snotface!" Astrid calls angrily.

"Get lost!" He calls back.

Astrid just stands there looking like she's about to catch fire.

Fishlegs stares wide eyed and uncomfortable and whines very high pitched "Uhhhhuhhhuhh..."

...

"He's gotta be down here somewhere!" Ruffnut sighs.

"I hear you sis..." Tuffnut replies somewhat dramatically. "There was never a master criminal who didn't use the Tunnels of Doom!"

"Uh, sure there was. What about Mildew?"

"But that's where your wrong dear sister, Mildew was obviously not a master criminal if he never came here."

"Well how about Dagur then? I'm pretty sure HE counts as a "master criminal". And you can can the drama talk with me bro, I mean it's fun using it around everyone else but when it's just us down here- Hey muttonheads!" A voice calls out.

"Aaaggghh!" Ruffnut and Tuffnut scream, suddenly clutching each other in fright.

"Hey calm down, it's just me." Comes the voice of Snotlout as he steps closer so they can see him.

"Oh, it's just you." Sighs Tuffnut as he pushes his sister away. "As I can see you have finally given up searching on the surface and come to join us in the Tunnels of Doom."

"Uh no actually, we found Josh long ago."

"What?!" The twins exclaim in unison.

"How come you didn't come to get us?" Asks Ruffnut.

"I actually have come to get you, right now."

"Yeah but how come you didn't get here sooner?"

"You know what this means don't you?" Tuffnut interrupts.

"Um, no actually. I need you to help me with something." Snotlout says.

"It means," Tuffnut continues. "That the pirate slave isn't a master criminal!"

"Actually your right Tuff, that's what I need your help with. He's totally not a criminal but he's being treated like one anyway."

"Such drama!" Ruffnut exclaims.

"Yeah yeah, I know. I'm actually really sick of drama by now." Snotlout rolls his eyes. "But seriously guys, how do you two feel about a good old prison break out?"

"Yes!" Tuffnut cheers. "It's been forever since we've done that!"

...


End file.
